Association between colic and sleep problems in infancy and subsequent development, emotional and behavioral problems: a longitudinal study

Lisbeth Valla,Nina Misvær,Randi Andenæs,Milada Cvancarova Småstuen,Sølvi Helseth,Christine Olbjørn

doi:10.1186/s12887-020-02483-1

Lisbeth Valla, Nina Misvær + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-02483-1

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Abstract

BackgroundSleep and colic problems in infancy have been linked to adverse health outcome, but there is limited knowledge of the association between sleep and colic problems in infancy and subsequent development, emotional and behavior problems in young children. The aim of the present study was to examine whether there is an associations between infants’ crying and sleep problems at 6 months and behavioral and development problems at 18 months, 3 and 5 years.MethodsThis study is based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), conducted at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health from June 1999 to December 2008. A total of 86,724 children were included. Colic and sleep (sleep duration, nocturnal awakenings and easy to put to bed) was assessed by mother-reports. Z-scores were used to assess differences between groups of children (e.g. having colic or not, having a sleep problem or not). Emotional and behavioral problems were measured with items from the Child Behavior Checklist. Development problems were measured with items from The Ages and Stages Questionnaire.ResultsInfants with colic scored significantly lower on development at 5 years (B=-0.10, CI [− 0.14 to - 0.06]) and higher on internalizing problems both at 3 years (B=0.15. CI [0.11 to 0.18]) and 5 years (B=0.17. CI [0.12 to 0.21]) than the reference population. Children who awoke frequently and were more difficult to put to bed at 6 months scored significantly lower on development at 18 months and 3 and 5 years, and higher on internalizing behavior problems at 3 and 5 years (B=0.18 and B=0.16). Children with shorter sleep duration at 6 months had more internalizing behavior problems at 3 years (B=0.14. CI [0.07 to 0.21]) and 5 years (B=0.15. CI [0.05 to 0.25]) than the reference population.ConclusionsColic and sleep problems early in life should be taken into account as risk factors for development and behavioral problems within the first 5 years of a child’s life.

Highlights

Sleep and colic problems in infancy have been linked to adverse health outcome, but there is limited knowledge of the association between sleep and colic problems in infancy and subsequent development, emotional and behavior problems in young children
In a meta-analysis [12], both excessive crying and sleep problems during the first year of life were linked to internalizing and general behavioral problems in children aged 2 to 10 years, in multi-problem families. These findings were confirmed in a recent systematic review that found that sleep duration among healthy children aged 0–4 years, based on parents’ reports, is prospectively associated with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and poor emotion regulation
With respect to sleep duration, when comparing children who did not have enough sleep at baseline to children for whom enough sleep was reported, we found significantly higher scores for Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) at 18 months (B=0.09, confidence intervals (CI) [0.04 to 0.14]) and 3 years (B=0.08, CI [0.01 to 0.14]) but there were no difference in ASQ scores between the children at 5 years

Summary

Introduction

Sleep and colic problems in infancy have been linked to adverse health outcome, but there is limited knowledge of the association between sleep and colic problems in infancy and subsequent development, emotional and behavior problems in young children. In a meta-analysis [12], both excessive crying and sleep problems during the first year of life were linked to internalizing and general behavioral problems in children aged 2 to 10 years, in multi-problem families. These findings were confirmed in a recent systematic review that found that sleep duration among healthy children aged 0–4 years, based on parents’ reports, is prospectively associated with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and poor emotion regulation. Children who sleep less than 11 h or awaken three or more times per night at 18 months have more emotional regulation difficulties at 5 years [15]

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